Having Appreciation in Unique Ways.

   Last week we went to a family reunion. It was a wonderful time spent with some of the most wonderful people I know.  Here are a few pictures of my family that made it up to Zion's National Park.

My older sister.

My two little brothers (the tall ones) and their families. Then there is my husband and my beautiful children as well as my older sisters (above) two teenagers.

My older sister again with her two older girls and her oldest daughters husband. Playing games.

My grandmother.

My father and my baby brother.

My mother.

Left to right My baby brother, me, my younger brother and his baby girl. So cute!

 

So why am I here talking about these wonderful individuals and titling this post "Having Appreciation"?

A few of us went on a beautiful walk/hike and when we came back my father asked me to go and make sure that no little fingers got into the cake. I walked over there and my family had surprised me with this beautiful birthday cake.

They started to sing "Happy Birthday" it was such a nice surprise. I am not ashamed that I was a little emotional.

It was truly beautiful and I was so grateful. The "unique" part of my appreciation is this. I made myself a promise. This promise was that I was going to go off of sugar (Cake, Cookies, Candy, Sodas, any snacks that are sugary) for a year. It was hard in the way that I didn't want my family to think that I didn't love the cake and appreciate what they had done for me. My younger brother asked if I was going to have a piece. I told him that I just couldn't he didn't quite understand why I couldn't for some of my OWN birthday cake. However, he respected my commitment and decision.

So I guess maybe I should have titled this post something along the lines of being true to yourself. Because that is what I want to really talk about.

You see, I have come to a point in my life where I am tired of inconveniencing myself to show gratitude for others efforts. All of these years I have been wanting to get off of sugar and every time I tried there was always a party, or someone has made something "special" for me or my family ect. So I would break my commitment because I didn't want to hurt them. What I didn't realize was that I was really hurting ME. In hurting me I also realized that I was hurting, my relationship with my Heavenly Father, my relationship with my spouse, kids and so many other people in my life. I believe that when we say that we have integrity we also need to include integrity to ourselves. When we keep our promises to ourselves we feel better, as well as gain confidence that we are able to keep promises to others. I found that I matter! As hard as that it to comprehend sometimes, it is true we do matter.

              I was given a beautiful gift from my Heavenly Father called a body. It came to me one day that if my body is a gift, and not a curse that I always thought it was growing up, then shouldn't I take care of it? I wanted to make a commitment that would show my Heavenly Father AND myself that I was grateful for this gift, and I want to take care of it. So as thankful as I was for the truly beautiful cake I was also determined to stick to the promise that I made to myself.

 I am not saying that I think everyone should go off of sugar. What I am saying is that I do believe that it is worth the time and effort to make small promises to ourselves and then to learn to keep them. Those small promises lead to bigger promises, which lead to progress in this journey we call life. It also leads us closer to our Father in Heaven. It amazes me how things start on the inside of us and work out.

We have to decide then commit through the hard times as well as the not so hard times. While I there I was talking to my niece about what I do for exercise. I run. I will  tell that long story in another post but I told her that in all we do in life. If we want to progress whether in our education, fitness, spirituality, or any other area, we need to get comfortable with uncomfortable. That is my theme. That is what I tell myself when I don't want to do something or go through a hard trial. If we stay in our comfort zone we will not progress and we were sent here on this earth to progress to become more like our Father. He wants us to succeed and He expects us to do hard things and to take care of the gifts that He has given us. Our bodies are one of them.

Much Love, Emily

 

 

 Here are a few more pictures. Enjoy.

My son hiking with some cousins.

Spice(My second daughter) her cousins (My older sisters younger children)

My Brother-in-Law (Older sisters husband)

Left to right. My baby brothers little girl and my "Bear" Best buds forever!

                                                       My baby "Beeps"

My oldest "Sugar"

My younger brother and his baby girl.

My baby brother and my sisters older girl. :)

My son (we all had to climb through these rocks to get to the place where we were headed. Good times.)

Smore time! (Bear)

My baby brother and his little girl.

My son. :)

Part of Zion's

This is the road that I ran while I was there. This is from the top of there I decided I was going to stop and turn around. I did a 5.5 mile run. It was beautiful!

My wonderful husband on the patio of our cabin and the beautiful mountains behind him.

Bread

  Growing up my mother taught us the importance of being able to make bread. It is the staff  of like if and when tragedy hits or if you are just short on your payday and you need to make your money stretch.  But for me, I love the way it makes my home smell. I love the way it brings the kids into the kitchen so we can talk. I love the smiles I get when I share it with neighbors and friends. Fresh baked bread makes people happy. And that is one of my favorite things to do is to make people happy.
   So here is my basic bread recipe
   Heat your oven to 300
Basic Bread
6 Cups Warm Water
1 Cup Honey or Sugar (Use Honey for Wheat Bread. Use Sugar for White Bread)
3 Tbsp Salt (I use Sea Salt but any table salt will do)
2 tsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp Baking Soda
2/3 Cups Oil (I use Olive or Canola but again any will do)
2 Tbsp Yeast

Mix this together for a few seconds and let it sit for 5 Minutes.
Turn off your oven!

If you want to add any seeds or grain this is the time. We like Millet, Steal Cut Oats, Pumpkin Seeds, Sunflower Seeds, Sprouted Wheat, Quinoa, Anything. I have only done this with my wheat bread however. But it might taste good with your white bread. I do know that if you want to make potato bread now is the time to add your instant mashed potato or left over home made mash potato.

Mix in 9 Cups of Flour. When it gets to thick to mix with a spoon it is the fun part. Make sure your hands are washed and place 3 more Cups of Flour into your dough. Start to knead it. Do this for about 3 minutes adding flour if needed. You will know that you have enough flour when you push on it and it bounces back. It will still be a LITTLE sticky. Wash your hands spray them with cooking spray and go back to kneading it for about 3-5 more minutes. This last part of kneading is best done on a clean, dry surface with a little flour on it. I like to use my table it is low enough that I can really do some folding and pushing. We need to kneed the dough to build up the gluten in it. This is what makes it not fall apart after it is cooked. So don't be afraid to work it!

 Let me try and explain how to knead your bread.
Pull your bread from the opposite side of you and pull it toward you. Then with the heal of your hand push it away from you. Turn your dough and do it again and repeat.
  I remember I had a room mate once who wanted to learn to make bread and I was coming back from my job or school or something and she was trying to make bread. She had her dough but when it came to kneading it she was just poking it. That picture came to mind when I was thinking about kneading it. I had to tell her that she couldn't hurt the dough and that is why people like to make bread when they are mad because they can beat it up and it still turns out great. LOL
So DONT BE AFRAID to BEAT up your dough.
 
Place your dough into a BIG bowl that has been sprayed with cooking spray and knead it about three more times. This just puts some of the spray onto the top of your dough. Cover it with a big dish rag and place it in your oven. Let it sit there for about an hour. Check it and see it if has doubled in size. If it has, push it down and take it out of the oven.
 Get your loaf pans ready by spraying them well with your cooking spray. Grab a nice sized ball and fold it so that it is smooth on the top. You will want to turn it and fold it again. For beginners don't worry about trying to make them the size of the pan. I like to take a chunk of dough about the size of a soft ball and work with that. You will fit 2 of these in one pan. Do this until all of your dough is used.
 Place your pans into the oven for about 10 Minutes. Turn on the oven at its LOWEST setting mine is about 170 and let it bake for 15 minutes. It should be doubled in size again. Turn up the heat to 350 and let it bake for about 30-35 Minutes. If it is Wheat it will be a nice brown. If White then it will be a golden brown.
  Take out of the our oven and top with butter. If you are watching your calories you can do a quick spray with your cooking spray (Olive Oil) or you can even get a clean spray bottle and add some water to it. Put it on a fine mist and spray the top.
  Dump them out and enjoy!!!

Banana Bread with an added little something.

  I came up with this recipe one day when I needed to get rid of some bananas and oranges. Give it a try!!!
 Preheat your oven to 350. Get 2 bread loaf pans and spray well, set aside.

 Banana Bread with a zing of Orange.
   4 Over Ripe Bananas (Smashed)
   1 C Honey or Sugar
   2 Large Eggs
   2 tsp Real Vanilla (you can use imitation but the real stuff makes a difference)
  3/4 C Oil
   1/2 tsp Salt
   1/2 tsp Baking Soda
   1 tsp Baking Powder
   1 Whole Orange Zested and Juiced (Optional but really makes a statement. Without it you just have regular banana bread.)
   1 Cup Nuts your choice (Optional)
   1 Cup Chocolate Chips (Optional)
       If you use both the nuts and chips only use about half of each. Or eyeball how chunky you want your bread.
   Mix all of these ingredients together until well blended!

 2 - 2 1/2 Cups Flour (If you use honey use 2 1/2 cups of flour if Sugar use only 2 cups of flour. Also,if you used Honey use all wheat flour or half wheat half white. The more wheat the better it will taste with your Honey. If you used Sugar use white flour.)
 Mix well and place in two well greased bread loaf pans. Bake at the 350 for 50-60 minutes.
Can make into muffins as well. Bake for about 25-30 minutes.
 Stick a butter knife into them. If it comes out clean they are done. Note: With your bread the top will be cracked and brown. If you pull it out to check and it wobbles at all it is NOT done. DONT stick anything into it just put it back into the oven and close the door. If you set your timer then you should be good with not having it wobble. If it is a little doughy bake for another 5 minutes and check again.
 This is an easy recipe and a good one to teach a beginner who wants to wow some friends and family. :)
   

Letting Go of Stress.

  The last few weeks I have had a lot of stress. I know that there are some things in our lives that cause stress that we can't let go of. But I wanted to blog today about the stresses that we hold onto that we do have control over.
   There was a time in my life where I had no idea what stress was. That has not been the reality these last few weeks, maybe months. Yesterday I wanted to move so bad that it hurt. I had to take a step back and figure out WHY I wanted to move. I realized that I under a LOT of stress, and I had to figure some things out. I am going through a learning curve. I have to realize that I don't have to be in control of everything!!! Yesterday I couldn't deal and I just wanted to run away, and not deal with anything. I guess you could say that I was at the breaking point. It had been happening for a while, the signs were some of the following.
  - Not taking the kids to their classes (Dance, Piano, Hero, Knights of Freedom, Beautiful Girls)
  - Shopping (even if we didn't have the money)
  - Not really caring about consequences of the choices above.
  - Zoning out on Facebook.
  - Consequently affecting my home school. :(

I had to let some things go. Things that I felt weren't mine anymore. I also had to make a big decision as far as the kids school. This last year we did My Tech High, and it was nice to have the money for the different classes, curriculum, passes, etc. However, I really wanted to go year round and they don't do have that option. It may seem like it would have been an easy choice but it was NOT. I knew that I had to make a choice and I knew that it was not mine to make alone. There was some discussion with my husband as well as with the kids. We did a pros and cons list and believe it or not the pros list was longer then the cons. However, the cons list was "heavier" then the pros list. My little "Bear" was not happy about the decision but that is just the way things go sometimes. That decision made, and told to the appropriate person it was a weight lifted.
 But I was still stressed. I knew what it was that was stressing me out but it is also a big part of my life and a part that I LIKE to be in control of. Finances!!! I like to know how much money we have. I like to have the freedom of getting things that the family needs without telling or asking about the money. I also knew that I had to let it go. That decision made I talked it over with my husband and this morning I gave it up!!! Like I said this is a learning curve for me. Not to be in control of that part of our life. It will take a little getting used to but I also think that it will be good.
  I went to the gym this morning but came home early to do some thinking, praying, studying. I feel good about this decision.
  So why did I decide to do a blog about this? I wonder how much in our lives we hold onto that we shouldn't. What would happen if we gave "control" over to others in our lives? Lets talk about chores for instance, we all know that we as mothers can do a better job then our children, younger especially. But if we keep things that aren't "ours" then we are stretched to thin. As mothers we are over stretched anyways, wouldn't you agree? It doesn't matter if you are a stay at home mother, a working mother, a home schooler, or send your kids to school. We have a tendency to take on to much. Here is an example of some of the things that I "own" or "owned".
  - Main educator of my 5 children
  - Visiting Teacher  (My religion we go and visit some of the ladies and check on them. 4 ladies)
  - Finances (Just gave them up)
  - Doing most of the chores (have to take the time AGAIN to train my children on how to do them, and do them well.)
  - Laundry (needs its own line cause it is worth like oh 10 chores in one)
  - Food Shopping
  - Cooking (Spice helps with breakfast which has helped but I still do dinners.)
  - Menu planning
  - Driving kids to their classes
  - Continuing to learn, read, think, write.
  - My interview with the Lord ( Read Scriptures, Study, Pray, Think, Ponder, Write)
  - Keeping the house hold on schedule
  - Doing things for my Stake calling (In my religion we also volunteer to help out in capacities. Some times we are called to help out with the little children, sometimes the teens, sometimes we are asked to teach the adults. Sometimes we are asked to keep the different classes running smoothly. Young Women leaders, Young Men Leaders, Adult leaders, Leaders over the teachers to our little children. Sometimes our men are asked to lead the whole congregation (called Bishops) sometimes we are called to help out with multiple congregations. This is called a Stake calling. I am helping out with the young women.)
     *Some of the duties I am in charge of in this calling,
 a) Help plan and carry out girls camp
 b) Make agendas to talk about (up coming activities and things that need to be organized.)
 c) Help communicate with other Stake leaders
 d) Plan, Study, Prepare and then Talk in different Wards (church buildings) to the whole congregation.
 e) Remind my presidency and or youth of up coming events or meetings.
 f) Attend as many meetings during the week as are scheduled to the best of my ability. Some months are busier then others.
  - I am taking on a math class. My children need this and so do some of the other families in our community.
 - Be a wife.
 - Bathe the dog and shave her when needed.
 - Make sure the kids turn in weekly reports to "My Tech High" (Ending soon)
 - Make doctor, dentist, and any other appointments needed
 - Make sure that they get to their appointments
 - Serve when needed or asked (making dinners, helping clean, etc. those who are sick or in need of help)
 - I also do a SMALL baking business out of my home called "Bryar's Cozy Cottage." I sell baked goods and candy to friends in my town. It isn't very big, but one day I do hope to have a real business. For now this is just fine and busy enough.
  - Take care of myself (I visit the gym to lift weights and run 4-6 days a week)

Ok I am sure I can think of a few dozen other things that I "own." I bet if you wrote down all that you "own" you would find that you are just as busy. When we do all that is "ours" it doesn't seem like we do all that much. I don't do all of these things every day. But can you see why I was so stressed? It was time for me to let some things go!

 What can we do to simplify our lives and to lessen our stress? Learn to "Let it go, let it go." May be if we do we will feel "Free." How much more could we actually get done if we don't try and do IT ALL? I am working on pairing down. Truly only "owning" what is REALLY mine. It is a process but I think in the long run I will be more effective when I do just "own" what is "mine"

This was just on my mind today so I thought I'd share and ramble.
 Hugs, Emily

MATH!!!! Did I just scare you? Just take a look!!!!!

 I have not gone into what I do in my home school in this blog. That will actually have to be another blog post. Because what I want to talk about in this post is the sometimes 4 letter M word. Yes! MATH!!!
  Oh how we have struggled in this area. My children, I am not happy to say, are behind in this area because it was a constant struggle to get them to do ANY kind of math. All with the exception of my little Bear. She LOVES to learn everything and is excited to "play" with numbers.
  About a month ago I went to a home school seminar where a lady was talking about math being fun. That caught my attention because of our struggle in this area. It also read in her bio that ANYONE can learn to like math. HELLO this class is just up my alley. She was telling us her story about how she went to college, and wanted to make a change in the school system. Her plan was to help the children realize that they can all do math and be successful in this area. Long story short. The school that she worked for didn't like her methods, but the children LOVED it and started to "own" their math.
 She has a program and I just knew that my family needed this. I had no idea how I was going to pay for it but I knew that we needed it. So I brain stormed and found a way! I am so excited to start.  So why am I telling you about this? Because they have a free starter kit that has already worked some miracles in the way my kids view math. Even my oldest "Sugar" who has learning difficulties is starting to not fight so much. It takes an open mind. But if you are like me you have tried EVERYTHING else and so what is there to loose?
 Here is the link.
 Math inspirations starter kit
    Because of this kit I also have purchased more games from a company called Simply Fun. My children are having a great time with all of their math games that we have purchased from them as well. It has opened up my eyes that math can be fun! But also is a struggle but in a good way. The way that she teaches parents and teachers/mentors to help their children and students makes it so that they "own" what they learn. This, to me, is the most important part of learning. I don't want to be a teacher, I want to be a mentor. I want my children and students to "own" their education. To work hard at it, and for it to be something that they can be proud of. To be self confident, independent thinkers. To actually learn HOW to think and not WHAT to think. This is my goal in educating my children.